Please tell me if it is safe to start the introduction with a quote? And also if this is the right way to introduce a quote in writing?
Introduction: “Do not waste water even if you were at a running stream.”
“Thousands have lived without love, not one without water.” These words of W.H Auden, a famous English poet, accentuate the importance of water for life. Water is precious as it is the most essential natural resource for survival of life on Earth. Although water is present on two-thirds of the Earth’s surface, only fresh water can be used for activities of living organisms. Surprisingly, fresh water is only 3% of the total water present. Moreover, the access to fresh water is not uniform all over the world. With rising demand for water and excessive exploitation of fresh water, the natural reserves of water are depleting. Water shortages in many regions, including Pakistan are testimony to this fact. In such a scenario, wastage of water can have disastrous repercussions for the present as well as future generations. It can intensify water scarcity eventually leading to food deficiency, poor sanitation, high costs of living and destruction of natural habitats. Therefore, conservation of water is not only important for one’s own self but also for have-nots and for coming generations. Water must not be wasted as it is already scarce in many regions with depleting reserves all over the world. The biggest contribution towards saving water for contemporaries and future generations can be made by simply not wasting it. Wasting water would simply mean wasting life.